fanmtl Chapter 228: Time to kill a rat
Chapter 228: Time to kill a rat
Ethan rose slowly, the steel plates of his armor letting out a faint metallic creak as they shifted with his movement.
It was a Rank B item pulled from common gacha tickets. A decent gear for a third-stage warrior like him, though he wanted more.
With the silver helmet firmly tucked under his right arm, Ethan first leaned down to Alice and Evelyn, claiming their lips in slow kisses.
When he finally pulled away, all three beauties followed close behind him.
The moment he crossed the gates of his mansion, the sight that greeted him stole his breath.
Along Goldenveil’s wide main avenue, two thousand men stood, their weapons gleaming beneath the morning sun.
At the very front, with the discipline of a veteran legion, the elite Goldenveil Guard headed the formation.
Seventeen third-stage warriors formed the spearhead, clad in heavy armor like true knights, every polished plate catching the golden morning light.
Behind them, in tight formation, stood five hundred regular guards—less well-equipped, but their solid steel breastplates still shimmered proudly in the sun.
The fifteen hundred militiamen who made up the rearguard were, naturally, more modestly armed. Still, compared to militias from other domains, their gear was nothing to scoff at.
Each man wore chainmail over reinforced leather garments, and at their waists hung sharp steel swords, freshly forged in Goldenveil.
Ethan advanced with firm steps, the metallic clang of his armor echoing across the cobblestones of the avenue.
His eyes swept over the ranks with pride.
That army was the fruit of a single year of tireless work. The mighty Goldenveil Guard, which one day, he knew, would become far more than just a guard.
"Some of you, I’m sure, still remember the day I took control of Goldenveil.
There were fewer than seventy souls in this forgotten place. Poor, malnourished, just waiting for death to come.
In less than a month, that hopeless Goldenveil ceased to exist. And in less than a year, the Goldenveil I look upon today, the same one you look upon, is no longer the dying land of old.
One day, we will be a great kingdom! A mighty power whose name the rest of the continent will utter only with fear and respect! But for that day to come, we must fight!
Alistair Vaelor calls himself the ’Slayer of Golden Lords.’ He is a Golden Lord like me, yes, but he will never be my equal.
Goldenveil grew through prosperity and conquest. Whitefall, through plunder and fear!"
Ethan paused briefly, drawing his sword in one fluid motion and raising it high. The blade caught the sun in a blinding flash, the light scattering across the soldiers’ faces.
It wasn’t just the guards watching him. Every citizen of Goldenveil had their eyes fixed on the main avenue, and their Lord’s powerful voice, amplified by his Aura, rolled through every corner of the city.
"He wants to kidnap our women! Enslave our children! Slaughter our men! That won’t happen, because we, the warriors of Goldenveil, will be there to stop him!
March by my side, and march without fear!"
The moment Ethan’s final word faded into the air, a thunderous roar erupted from the throats of two thousand soldiers.
"GLORY TO GOLDENVEIL!"
With that battle cry echoing around every corner of the city, the Goldenveil Guard’s loyalty surged to an impressive ninety-five percent.
"Very well." Ethan allowed himself a satisfied smile before mounting his black steed, the animal’s hooves striking impatiently against the stone pavement.
It was time to march to war.
In disciplined formation, Goldenveil’s army of two thousand men set off, boots striking the pavement in thunderous unison.
Behind them trailed an small logistics team, hauling tons of food, water, and supplies for the short campaign ahead.
For now, the march had a single, clear objective: speed.
Even if exhaustion took its toll on their legs, reaching that region as quickly as possible was imperative—only then would they have enough time to orchestrate the ambush.
And so, the two thousand men marched day and night on a grueling thirty-hour nonstop trek, pushing through a rugged forest full of treacherous roots, steep slopes, and low-hanging branches that scraped at their armor.
Upon arriving, however, they were rewarded with a full day of rest since the Whitefall army would take at least another four or five days to reach the same point.
"It’s exactly as you described," Ethan remarked, walking alongside Doran and Aerick as they climbed the hill where the infantry would take position.
Before them stretched a wide canyon, roughly two hundred meters from one slope to the other, cut in half by a river.
Narrow, but treacherously deep, its clear blue waters reflected the sky like a mirror.
The entire canyon was carpeted in dense, green grass, and unlike the thick forest that embraced it, only a handful of trees broke the open ground.
It was a pleasant place, equally inviting for a Sunday picnic or an ambush.
In silence, Ethan studied every detail of the vantage point.
Located about thirty kilometers from Goldenveil, the strategic pass facilitated troop movement to both the northwest and the north. Without a doubt, a place of immense importance.
After this war, he would found Goldenveil’s first vassal city. Then, on this very spot, he would raise the first fortress of his domain, a sentinel to guard his borders.
Contemplating the natural contours of the canyon, the high slopes, and the impeccable defensive position, he was absolutely certain that it was perfect.
Ethan pushed those thoughts from his mind, forcing his focus back to the impending battle.
Two thousand soldiers against four thousand.
Even with the overwhelming strategic advantage that position offered them, Ethan knew there would be many deaths.
With a heavy sigh, he let his gaze sweep across the area a moment longer. Then, after spending some time in the company of Alice and Evelyn, he finally turned to the task of organizing his troops.
One thousand seven hundred infantry took up position on one bank with swords and shields.
Three hundred archers, meanwhile, settled on the opposite bank, accompanied by five third-stage warriors assigned to their protection—and, of course, by Alice and Veronica.
With every piece on the board perfectly placed, all that remained was the wait.
It was time to kill a rat.